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Cannabis and hemp laws
Netherlands
Recreational cannabis decriminalized, medical legal; CBD and hemp legal
Adult use
Decriminalized
Medical
Legal
Last reviewed
May 29, 2026
Netherlands
Cannabinoid status board
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Netherlands
Latest news and analysis
FAQ
Common questions
Is marijuana legal in the Netherlands?
Technically no, cannabis is illegal in the Netherlands, but adult use is formally tolerated, coffeeshops sell it openly, and ten cities now run a fully legal, regulated supply chain. Cannabis sits on List II of the Opium Act (Opiumwet), which prohibits its possession, sale, cultivation, and import or export.
Is CBD legal in the Netherlands?
CBD is legal in the Netherlands within EU Novel Food and pharmaceutical frameworks. Hemp-derived cannabidiol products with THC at or below 0.05 percent under longstanding Dutch enforcement practice (well below the EU agricultural 0.3 percent hemp limit) are widely available as supplements, cosmetics, and food items.
Is hemp legal in the Netherlands?
Industrial hemp is legal in the Netherlands under the Opium Act exemption for Cannabis sativa cultivated from approved seed and the EU Common Agricultural Policy framework.
Can you travel to the Netherlands with cannabis or CBD?
Cannabis import and export are criminal offenses under the Opium Act, punishable by up to 12 years' imprisonment, coffeeshop purchases may not leave the country, and neighboring states prosecute possession of Dutch product. CBD products meeting EU rules trade freely within the single market.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Seed Legality
Seeds are not scheduled under the Opiumwet: sale, purchase and gifting are legal; germination is where limits begin.
Hemp seeds
Legal
Marijuana seeds
Legal
Sale
Legal
Transacting
Legal
Gifting
Legal
Cannabis seeds are not listed on Schedule I or II of the Dutch Opium Act (Opiumwet), so their sale, purchase, possession and transfer are legal, sustaining one of the world's largest seed-bank industries. Germinating them is different: cultivation remains prohibited, with small-scale home growing (up to five plants) merely tolerated under prosecution guidelines. Industrial hemp may be cultivated for fibre or seed using varieties listed in the EU plant variety catalogue within EU THC limits, subject to declaration requirements. Separately, the closed coffeeshop supply-chain experiment (wietexperiment) went fully operational in April 2025 — it governs coffeeshop supply, not the seed trade.
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This section is provided for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Seed laws change frequently — verify current law with qualified counsel before making decisions.